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Enes Kanter, a Turkish basketball player who has been outspoken about his country’s human rights abuses, took to Twitter to criticize LeBron James over his remarks about WNBA player Brittney Griner.
James had said that Griner “made a mistake” and that she should “be given an opportunity to get out of it” because “we all make mistakes.”
Kanter, who has been critical of James in the past, responded by saying that James should “do some research” on Turkey before making comments about Griner’s situation.
“You are free to leave,” Kanter wrote. “But you won’t be given an opportunity to get out of it.”
Kanter’s comments come as James has been increasingly outspoken about social and political issues in recent years.
Enes Kanter, the New York Knicks center who has been an outspoken critic of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, ripped LeBron James on Tuesday after the NBA star made comments suggesting that WNBA player Brittney Griner should rethink whether she even wants to come home to America.
“Now, how can she feel like America has her back?” James said. “I would be feeling like, ‘Do I even want to go back to America?'”
Kanter, who has been critical of James in the past, took to Twitter to express his disbelief at the comments.
“Wow, dude… you really believe that???” Kanter wrote. “She is an American citizen who WAS BORN in America… and you think she should go back to her own country? WTF.”
He added: “I guess this is why I never liked you… you always have something negative to say.”
Kanter, who has been outspoken about his support for the LGBT community, also called out James for his comments on Griner, who is a lesbian.
“Hey @KingJames, How you call yourself a ‘King’ when you don’t stand up for your own people in your own country?” Kanter wrote. “Let alone a human being.”
Kanter has been a target of Erdogan’s regime and has had his Turkish passport revoked. He has also been critical of James in the past, calling him a “sellout” for not speaking out against the Chinese government’s treatment of Uighur Muslims.
But Kanter said his beef with James was not about politics but the NBA star’s remarks about Griner.
“I have nothing personal against LeBron,” Kanter tweeted. “But his comments were really hurtful, and I can’t just stay silent.”
Griner, who is married to fellow WNBA player Glory Johnson, responded to James’ comments on Twitter, saying she was “proud to be an American.”
“My wife and I have made a great life here,” Griner tweeted. “We wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
This Lebron James backlash comes days after The Athletic released a report calling Lebron one of the greatest, if not the greatest, of all time.
According to The Athletic’s voting panel of NBA experts, LeBron is the second-greatest player ever – which, when you consider the competition, is pretty much the same as being crowned the greatest ever.
The list, which was released on Tuesday, saw LeBron come in behind only Michael Jordan – widely considered the GOAT – in the rankings. But considering that LeBron is still going strong at his age, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he could one day overtake Jordan as the greatest of all time.
